Somehow, the 2026 version of training camp and the preseason are officially in the rearview mirror for all 32 teams in the NFL. With a longer-than-normal gap between the final preseason game and the start of the regular season, teams like the Chicago Bears will have more time to tweak their roster as they prepare for the 17-game season ahead.
While the storylines were considerably more mellow than in previous offseasons, the importance of the upcoming season should not be understated. Injuries played
a role during camp and the preseason, and like last season, the defense raises some of the biggest questions heading into meaningful play. Before we fully close the book on the last six weeks, here are 10 Bears Takes as we head into a big season ahead.
1. What in the world is going on with Kyler Gordon?
After missing most of the offseason program, Gordon started camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Although his status has been mum for the last six weeks, the general expectation was that he would return at some point during the preseason. Unfortunately, that did not happen, and in addition, head coach Ben Johnson has taken some not-so-subtle shots at the team’s starting nickel.
For as frustrating as this process has been, there’s no denying that the Bears’ defense is considerably better with Gordon on the field. The issue is that since he signed his lucrative extension, making him the league’s highest-paid nickel, he has barely been on the field. While many, including the organization, had hoped that would change in 2026, he’s not off to a great start in that department.
With him starting the regular season on the PUP list, he’ll miss at least the first four games of the season. With no real status update on his “progress,” it’s fair to wonder when or if he’ll play this season. For now, it appears that it will be fourth-round rookie Malik Muhammad who will get the first crack at the starting job. That said, it’s hard to deny that this defense will be in a compromised position while the rookie figures out a position that he didn’t play in college.
No matter how you cut this, it’s a frustrating situation that has many wondering about Gordon’s status with the team moving forward. In a best-case scenario, Gordon comes back in October, and this will be a thing of the past come January. That said, nothing about his health has been a best-case scenario since the start of last season. Regardless, it’s another question mark for this defense heading into Week 1, which isn’t ideal given the state of their defensive line.
2. Speaking of Gordon, the defensive injuries will create an uncomfortable situation for Dennis Allen and this defense as they start the season.
Only time will tell how things pan out with more recent injuries like Gervon Dexter Sr., Austin Booker, Jaylon Johnson, and Tyrique Stevenson. That said, it’s fair to assume the Bears have reached the point in the process where playing it safe with expected contributors will be their approach heading into Week 1.
Even so, the loss of Coby Bryant and the unknown status of Gordon hang very heavy on this unit heading into the regular season. Bryant is expected to miss the bulk of the regular season, which will naturally limit the versatility and overall creativity that defensive coordinator Dennis Allen can bring to this unit. At this point, fans should probably just assume that Gordon won’t contribute this season until proven otherwise. Considering their shortcomings on the defensive line, missing two of their five expected starters in the secondary is a tough spot to start the season.
While it’s possible that the team could add in the coming days, the likelihood that they’ll add any plus-starters before Week 1 feels more like wishful thinking than something likely to happen. So, what now?
The offseason has focused on scheme fits. First-round selection Dillon Thieneman should provide more athleticism at safety, even if mistakes are bound to happen early in the season. I expect a rotation among veterans Cam Lewis, Xavier Woods, and Elijah Hicks until the team figures out the best starting battery for the bulk of the season. Cornerback is another area to watch. If healthy, Johnson and Stevenson should start on the boundary, with Muhammad and potentially Jaylon Jones splitting time at the nickel.
Going back to the thought on better scheme fits, the coaching staff seems much higher on defensive tackle than the general consensus. Even with Gervon Dexter Sr.’s departure, newcomers like Neville Gallimore and Jordan van den Berg should fit what Allen wants from his interior linemen better. More on that later.
Now, we’ll see if they have enough horses on defense to become a true Super Bowl contender.
3. For all of the concerns on the defensive side of the ball, training camp went about as well as could be expected for the quarterback Caleb Williams and the offense. How high should expectations be in 2026?
When was the last time this team was able to go through the six-week process of training camp and the preseason without any persistent concerns on the offensive side of the ball? Now, that’s not to say that the offense didn’t have bad days in practice. Every team does. That said, the offense “won” practice more often than not.
In addition to more consistency during the day-to-day processes, this group avoided serious injury, outside of Luther Burden’s mild groin injury earlier in camp. Considering how often players were dropping like flies on the other side of the ball, that’s a pretty big deal. Not to mention, it appears Ozzy Trapilo is considerably closer to returning than originally expected, which, at worst, gives them more proven depth than they expected even a month ago.
With all the good vibes surrounding this offense, what are reasonable expectations for this group in 2026?
Well, if you buy into what the head coach is selling, he wants this offense to set records. Highest-scoring offense ever? Probably a little too lofty, considering the Denver Broncos’ record of averaging 37.9 points per game was set in 2013. Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning set an NFL record with 55 passing touchdowns.
That said, maybe matching (or surpassing) the 2024 Detroit Lions offense would make more sense. They averaged 33.2 points per game, while quarterback Jared Goff established new career highs in completion rate (72.4%), passing yards (4,629), and passing touchdowns (37). Simply put, if Williams puts up those types of numbers this season, it’s hard to imagine many scenarios where he isn’t the runaway favorite for MVP.
On a more elementary level, cutting down on penalties, succeeding early in games, and becoming more efficient overall are areas of this offense that could drastically improve its chances of breaking the 30 points-per-game threshold, which has never been done in franchise history. It’s easy to argue that the sky is the limit for this offense, especially with playmakers all over the offensive depth chart. Given how many concerning areas the defense has, averaging 30 points per game (or better) might be required for them to get back to the playoffs and find additional success once there.
4. The trade of Gervon Dexter Sr. is one everyone seems fine with now; even if the idea seemed absurd a few weeks ago, the fit vs. talent argument will be put to the test this season.
One thing that drives me crazy about fandom on social media is how quickly people forget the narratives they’ve created about a certain player or team. Dexter has been someone who, for most of his tenure in Chicago, has been either highly overrated or slightly underrated. The issue is that those who severely overrated him by comparing his production to Jalen Carter are now the same ones who pretend like he was a “bust” of a pick and never had value for the team.
When he was drafted in the second round, it was clear he had the physical tools to become a good player, but many parts of his game needed refinement. One of my biggest concerns was his lack of get-off at the snap, which never really improved. Even then, he developed into a solid pass-rusher, even if in bursts, with 11 sacks over the last two seasons for the Bears. That said, his woes against the run were hard to ignore, as were his prolonged stretches of being invisible.
All in all, Dexter was a solid player for the Bears, and although former head coach Matt Eberflus drafted him, questions about his fit in Allen’s defense really ramped up this offseason. That was why we saw the team add three veterans and take Jordan van den Berg in the sixth round of April’s draft. Even so, the original idea of trading Dexter seemed like a stretch early last week.
The fit-versus-talent argument is an interesting thought process to follow. While there’s no arguing the credence to it, it’s still a hard pill to swallow when the team is trading their most productive defensive tackle from last season. For as exciting as van den Berg has been during the preseason, it’s worth noting that all of his work came primarily against players who are no longer on NFL rosters. The promise is there, but it’s hard not to feel like the offloading of Dexter could produce too high of expectations for any rookie, especially one taken in the sixth round.
Outside of van den Berg, the Bears will be relying on a bounce-back season from 33-year-old veteran Grady Jarrett, who has looked like his best days are behind him for the better part of three seasons now. In addition to Jarrett, the rotation will consist of:
- Neville Gallimore, who signed a two-year, $10 million deal in March despite never playing more than 500 snaps in a single NFL season.
- Kentavius Street, who spent more than half of last season on the Falcons’ practice squad
- Jayden Loving, a promising, yet unproven undrafted free agent who, similar to van den Berg, flashed against players no longer on NFL rosters.
Better fit or not, the Bears are gambling on talent that has either not produced at a high level or is flat-out unproven. While everyone should hope that Allen’s evaluations pan out for the better, there’s also a real scenario where it only takes a few games to realize that trading Dexter for pennies on the dollar wasn’t worth the risk. Until proven otherwise, this is a bottom-five defensive tackle room, and they’re making a very strong case for boasting one of the league’s worst defensive lines heading into the regular season, at least on paper.
5. Many believed the Bears were a DJ Moore miscommunication away from playing in the NFC Championship game a year ago. Comparing the Rams’ all-in offseason approach to the Bears’ is like night and day. How big of a difference will it make when the final whistle sounds in February?
Speaking of the defensive line, it’s going to be a really interesting case study to follow both the Rams and Bears as the season goes along. As most will remember, these teams were separated by a mere three points in the divisional round. Although it took a miracle touchdown pass from Caleb Williams to get the game into overtime, the Bears had a tangible opportunity to win the game after forcing an early punt.
While we all know how the story ended, it was easy to see why many Bears fans felt they had a real shot at the NFC Championship Game. Fast forward eight months and a full NFL offseason later, and the two teams couldn’t look much different. While Chicago currently holds +2,400 odds to win the Super Bowl, the Rams are the overwhelming favorites to win it at +500, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. To take it a step further, the Bears have the third-best odds in their own division, despite being one non-interception away from advancing further than the Rams did just nine months ago.
So what has changed so quickly?
It’s easy. The Rams went out this offseason and operated like a contender, grabbing Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns, which then in turn swayed future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald back out of retirement. Before those moves were made, the Rams also swung big on a trade for elite cornerback Trent McDuffie, while also signing Jaylen Watson to a lucrative free agent deal to shore up the secondary.
The Bears, on the other hand, made a few quality moves in the back seven on their defense, added a few new names at defensive tackle, and allowed multiple defensive starters from a year ago to walk in free agency on reasonable deals. In addition, they spent three of their first four draft picks on offensive players not slated to start Week 1 and played it safe with their cap situation.
Each team’s approach to the offseason, despite being separated by three points in the NFC Divisional Round, couldn’t have been more different. Now, that’s not to say the Rams are guaranteed to make or win the Super Bowl. In fact, overwhelming favorites like Los Angeles rarely live up to expectations. That said, their all-in approach this offseason is not only commendable, but it also highlights another conversation: the cash fluidity of each team’s ownership groups.
Without getting too much into the weeds, both teams will be closely watched this season, and this will be a fun conversation to return to when all is said and done in 2026.
6. This rookie class will require some patience, but after Saturday, it’s easier to see Johnson’s vision for his offensive playmakers.
I’m still working to understand the overall vision from draft weekend, especially in the early rounds. Without getting too much into that thought process, let’s focus on the good.
Dillon Thieneman, the team’s first-round pick, is the only player slated to be a Week 1 starter. However, both Malik Muhammad and van den Berg could see meaningful snaps as early as Week 1. That said, Saturday evening’s preseason finale was a great glimpse into what could be in the near future for this offense. Center Logan Jones has had his fair share of growing pains early on, but the athleticism and overall experience he gained at Iowa have been easy to see on tape. Under most head coaches, Jones would have shown enough to earn the starting nod.
Unfortunately for the second-rounder, Ben Johnson isn’t most coaches, and he’s made it clear on multiple occasions that he prefers (and values) veteran centers. With that in mind, fans should prepare themselves for Jones to be a “healthy scratch” for most of the season, barring injury. Teams typically carry seven, maybe eight active offensive linemen on gameday, and a backup center-only player is rarely one of them. Unlike previous seasons, when players like Velus Jones Jr. or Ruben Hyppolite were healthy scratches, Jones’s situation is much more understandable and part of their long-term process. Again, he’ll just require a bit more patience than what fans have been accustomed to giving.
Moving on to their next duo of offensive skill position picks, both Sam Roush and Zavion Thomas gave fans an exciting glimpse into what could be by the end of this season. Roush slots in as the third tight end with some receiving ability, but where he shined the most this preseason was as a pass-blocker. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, Roush had multiple pass-blocking reps where he looked better than most of the team’s backup tackle depth. Preseason or not, that’s a promising development for a player who will have to earn his stripes in 12 and 13 personnel as a blocker. Additionally, he finished the preseason with three catches on five targets for 49 yards. Athletically, he profiles in a similar mold as a Cole Kmet or Kyle Rudolph type of player.
For as impressive as Roush was throughout the preseason and joint practice sessions, Thomas set the world on fire in his lone preseason action on Saturday night. It started with a 97-yard touchdown reception on their first offensive play from scrimmage. For as impressive as the double-move route and straight-line speed were, it was the rest of the game where Thomas’ skill set stood out, at least for me. Not only was it clear that he’s a willing blocker, but his route running and ability as a pure receiver were shockingly refined. He finished the game with five receptions (on five targets) for 140 yards, which included multiple impressive pure-hands catches and some impressive tempo on his routes that allowed for additional separation. If that wasn’t exciting enough, his ability as a returner had some shades of Devin Hester to them. Straight-line speed is one thing, but it was clear from his two returns that his vision and instincts with the ball in his hands are a value that is going to be severely underrated.
As noted earlier, both Muhammad and van den Berg are expected to see meaningful snaps early. Barring injury, I’m not sure the same can be said for fifth-round linebacker Keyshaun Elliott, but linebacker is the type of position that tends to linger as unimportant until a player finally receives their shot. I’m still not convinced Muhammad’s best path to success is in the nickel, but with the arrival of Phillips, he may allow the fourth-round rookie to shift back out to the boundary. For van den Berg, opportunities should be aplenty; he’ll just need to prove he can produce the same level of excitement and impact he did against lesser competition in the preseason.
Although fans shouldn’t count on immediate impact from the bulk of this draft class, there are clear paths to playing time for most of these players. If their preseason production showed anything, it’s that there’s plenty to be excited about as the regular season rolls on.
7. Looking at a few potential areas of the roster to improve before Week 1.
Unless you’re the Rams, every team around the league is going to come out of cut-downs in a situation where they publicly say they like where their roster is at, but quietly know they need to upgrade in certain areas; for a team like the Bears, their strengths and weaknesses are well documented and not hard to decipher. Even so, banking on waiver claims (the team had none on Day 1) rarely gets you impact players for the upcoming season.
Without getting too much into the weeds of potential upgrades at starting positions, let’s dive into three areas where the depth could improve.
- Defensive End
Heading into their final week of practice before the start of Week 1, the team is carrying five edge rushers, with James Lynch also in the mix due to his versatility. With Marcus Davenport on the practice squad, the team appears comfortable enough with their depth, assuming Booker is healthy. That said, they could still use a true rotational pass rusher with some juice; I’m just not sure where that comes from. My best guess: They wait until closer to the deadline and see what they can land for a Day 2 pick.
- Cornerback
If everyone were healthy, there wouldn’t be much concern here, especially following the acquisition of Phillips in the Dexter trade. That said, Gordon’s health status is about as unknown as I’ve ever seen, and injuries to both Johnson and Stevenson in the joint practice at least make you wonder what happens in a worst-case scenario. With Terell Smith gone and Jaylon Jones to season-ending IR, the list of viable names is a little uncomfortable. Keep an eye on this spot as somewhere they could add a familiar name before Week 1.
- Linebacker
This spot comes down to a numbers game. With Bush, Edwards, and Jackson slated to start in base packages, fifth-round rookie Keyshaun Elliott is the only other name currently on the roster. Not only does Elliott lack regular-season experience, but he missed all but a week of training camp with a back injury that landed him on PUP. I’d expect a familiar face like Jack Sanborn or maybe Jon Rhatiggan to be brought back soon.
8. Highlighting three breakout candidates on the offensive side of the ball for 2026.
This group will come into the season with sky-high expectations and rightfully so. If Johnson can take this offense from Bottom 5 to Top 10 in one season, why limit their ceiling in Year 2 of a high-flying offense? Without diving too much into the final numbers of what the offense could produce, let’s take a look at three players who are high on my list of “breakout candidates” in 2026.
- QB Caleb Williams
Is there such a thing as a “breakout candidate” two years in a row? The context matters, so hear me out. Usually, I would say no, but when a player takes two massive steps in consecutive years, it becomes more viable to be considered a breakout candidate. That’s exactly what I expect from the team’s quarterback in Year 3. Just so I don’t mince words, I’m expecting an MVP-level campaign from Williams in 2026. I expect him to drastically improve his completion percentage, as he did with his sack numbers a season ago. Johnson’s vision is there, as is the talent around Williams. Now, it’s time for Caleb to establish himself as the best quarterback in the division, and one of, if not the best, in the NFC.
- WR Luther Burden
This spot came down to Loveland and Burden, but in the end, Burden feels more like a “breakout” player than Loveland, especially given how impactful Loveland was down the stretch and in the playoffs last season. There’s never been a question about Burden’s talent, and in this offense, there should be little doubt as to whether or not he can produce as a WR1. This is no slight to Rome Odunze, who I believe will have a strong year in his own right. That said, Burden has abilities that not many receivers in the league do, so assuming he stays healthy, I expect top-tier numbers from the former second-round pick in Year 2.
- RB D’Andre Swift
Call me crazy, but following a career year in many regards last season, I tend to believe that Swift is in for an even bigger year in 2026. Johnson has been very complimentary of the veteran running back, so much so that nobody should be surprised by a mid-season contract extension. Despite not believing that he was a fit for Johnson’s offense when the head coach was hired last year, it’s clear that Swift is exactly the type of back needed as the primary option for this offense. With Kyle Monangai flanking him, there’s plenty of reasons to believe that the best is yet to come from Swift.
9. Highlighting three breakout candidates on the defensive side of the ball for 2026.
Count me in as one of the majority who have looked at this Bears’ defense and have some serious concerns heading into the regular season. In fact, I’ll go as far as saying that without some huge breakout performances, this group is going to cost the entire team a chance at their first year of Super Bowl contention. Before we go nuclear with concern, here are three players who will need to help change this defense’s course in 2026.
- DE Austin Booker
We led off with a Year 3 breakout candidate on the offensive side of the ball, so why not do it here too? Honestly, I’m not even sure I believe this will happen, but that has less to do with Booker and more to do with the lack of talent along the defensive front. That said, if this defense is going to take a step forward this year and be Super Bowl caliber, it’s guys like Booker who are going to need to have career years. He can do it, but health and consistency will be key. The goal here is a 10-plus sack year and playing the run better than he has.
- S Dillon Thieneman
No pressure, rookie. With Bryant out for the foreseeable future (and maybe the entire season), Thieneman is going to have to pick up the slack, whether it’s fair or not. While replacing Bryant won’t be easy, the No. 25 overall pick from April’s draft has the athleticism and play-making ability to become a game-changer in Year 1 for this defense. If the defense is to be at least average, Thieneman needs an A-plus rookie year. He’s capable of doing so; now we’ll see if Allen’s ability to develop players in the secondary can be fast-tracked in Thieneman’s rookie season.
- LB Devin Bush
One goal this offseason in free agency was adding speed (and more talent) to this defense. They believed they did exactly that with the additions of Bush and Bryant, but Bryant’s injury has made this TBD for one part. That said, Bush possesses the speed and play-making ability to become an unquestioned “hit” this season. The biggest key will be the defensive line keeping him clean, but if you’re to believe fit over name value, then that’s exactly what the Bears did this offseason by reworking their entire defensive tackle room. Pro Football Focus had Bush graded as one of the top off-the-ball linebackers in 2025, and fans should expect a similar performance in 2026.
10. I’ll have my season preview and NFC North preview ready the week of the regular season, but here’s how I see the NFC North playing out in a nutshell.
On paper, you could make an argument for all four teams when it comes to who will win the division and/or make the playoffs. That said, the Minnesota Vikings (for me) have the most unknowns and, therefore, the most risk heading into 2026. Better quarterback play could lead to better results, but the constant mention of their 9-8 record last season fails to acknowledge how many meaningless wins they had down the stretch.
When push comes to shove, I see this as a three-team race between the Bears, Lions, and Packers. Detroit heads into the season with the easiest projected schedule, and while it’s easy to see the talent stacked on their roster, they have plenty of questions, especially on the defensive side of the ball when it comes to health. Green Bay is another team that is harder to project than most are willing to admit. They started 2025 with a bang but flailed down the stretch once they lost Micah Parsons. Although Parsons is expected to play the back half of this season, plenty of questions remain about his return and when it will happen. Couple that with losing running back Josh Jacobs for an undisclosed amount of time, and this isn’t the same team that started hot last year.
Then you have Chicago. After shocking the league by winning 11 games, taking the NFC North crown, and earning their first playoff victory in 15 years, they took a conservative approach to the offseason. While the sky is the limit for Williams and the offense, the defense has some major concerns. One could argue that, at least on paper, this unit has not improved at all. Couple that with their unusual number of fourth-quarter comeback wins last season, and it’s easy to see why not everyone has bought into them as a guaranteed playoff returnee.
All in all, fans should go into the year expecting another hotly contested race down to the wire. While I’m still projecting the Bears to win the division, it feels like the Lions are closer to winning the division than the Packers are. I have concerns about Green Bay’s overall depth and how their defense will perform while Parsons works his way back from a serious knee injury. While I expect the Vikings to look “better,” I’m also expecting a worse record when the season comes to an end.
If I were a betting man (I’m not), here’s how I would lay out the NFC North:
- Bears (12-5)
- Lions (11-6)
- Packers (9-8)
- Vikings (7-10)
What are some of your Bears takes this week?
